Out of Line
by pikachufreak93
Summary: Riley's been a member of Team Galactic since she was young, quickly rising up the ranks to second in command to Saturn due to her battling skills. But she has a habit of disobeying rules, and its only a matter of time before she steps too far out of line.
1. Chapter 1

_Summary: Riley's been a member of Team Galactic since she was young, quickly rising up the ranks to second in command under Saturn due to her battling skills and determination. Together, she and the team will explore the possibility of controling other dimensions using Giratina. But she has a habit of disobeying rules, and its only a matter of time before she steps too far out of line. She might just lose her best friend, and she might not even survive._

_A/N: Okay, I have had this idea for so long! I absolutely adore Saturn from Team Galactic, and I thought it would be cool to explore the inner workings of the team. Some of it may get a little dark later on because of Team Galactic's measures. It will definately be a bit angsty too. And there will be romance towards the very end, yay! The characters might be a little different in personality, but this is the way I've always imagined them. And if you want me to continue this, you have to review. No reviews, no updates. Even just a couple of words to tell me you like it and want me to continue. I'm not going to beg for reviews, but they will be appreciated. This is not my first fanfiction, but I decided to start a new profile so you won't be able to find any of my other stories by this pen name, though they are still on here. Anyway, enough rambling, here is chapter one! Oh btw all the chapters will have the word mission in them, just for fun!_

**Chapter 1: A New Mission**

_Riley's POV_

I was generally a patient person, but today was an exception. I paced outside the door to Commander Saturn's office, where he was on the videophone with Cyrus, the boss of the entire Team Galactic. My first pokemon Chimchar swayed precariously from its perch on my shoulder. We had been best friends since Saturn had helped me catch it when I first joined Team Galactic. I glanced at the door again, willing it to open. Being only second-in-command to Saturn, I wasn't allowed inside while he spoke with the boss. My rank had never bothered me before today, but I really wanted to know what the mission Cyrus was giving our division was. Commander Saturn, his grunts, and I were located at our hideout in Veilstone City, awaiting orders. Why we were here, I still didn't know. I tried to focus on the mundane design of the wall to keep my mind occupied while I waited. The white background was littered with tiny gray dots and miniscule brown triangles. As Saturn's second-in-command, I would be the first person he told of the boss's orders. Then together we would tell the grunts. I had been second-in-command since I had turned sixteen, though I had been a member of Team Galactic since I was nine. It was unusual for anyone to become a grunt at that age, but my parents had been abusive and I had run away, desperately looking to seek refuge with someone. Saturn, who had been only twelve at the time, and a previous commander named Uranus had found me. Saturn had seen my potential and immediately begged Uranus to make an exception and take me in. Saturn was persuasive even back then, and I became a member of Team Galactic. I was only a level one grunt then, but I easily rose up the ranks with my battling strength and skill. Saturn had become commander at the age of eighteen, after Uranus screwed up so badly he had been permanently removed from Team Galactic. He barely escaped execution. A year later Saturn had chosen me to be his second-in-command, and that had been my position for a year and a half now. It was definitely a step up from grunt level four. Finally the office door opened and Saturn stepped out. I bombarded him with questions immediately.

"What's our mission?" I asked him eagerly. He rolled his eyes at me. "Sir," I added because not only was I supposed to address him like that, but I knew it pleased him. Not that I called him it all that much. He grinned and proceeded to walk down the hall. I sighed and followed him. "Sa-turn!" I whined. "Tell me, please!"

"Chimchar!" The red and orange fire monkey put in.

"Fine," Saturn relented, tuning around, a triumphant grin on his face. He found it fun to tease me like that. I stuck my tongue out at him, something I rarely did because according to Saturn it was a behavior too childish for the seventeen year old second-in-command to him. Not that I acted this way around anyone but him, that is. He rolled his eyes again and continued. "There has been a man talking about how he has a rare egg that comes from Giratina," Saturn informed. "No one knows how he got it or if it really came from Giratina, so it's our job to steal it and find out."

"But that doesn't require all the grunts," I remarked, marveling at the possibility of a Giratina egg.

"Which is why only you and I are going," Saturn grinned.

"Yes!" I punched my fist in the air. Chimchar made a happy noise. It would be faster and more fun this way. Saturn laughed at my excitement. Despite his higher position and three year advantage, he and I were very close. We had been through a lot together. Once, when I was twelve, he had saved me from drowning due to Uranus's mistake.

_Flashback_

"_It's fine," Uranus told me for the fourth time. I looked doubtfully to the rickety bridge. It didn't look very sturdy. "Go on," Uranus urged me. I hesitated, but I knew I would be in trouble if I didn't follow orders. So I took a cautious step onto the bridge. I breathed a sigh of relief as it held. I took a few more steps until I was fully on the bridge. Suddenly, without warning, it snapped and I wheeled my arms in a desperate attempt to remain standing. Before I knew it I was falling, falling, falling towards the black water and certain death below. I screamed shrilly, the piercing screech of a twelve year old girl. I hit the water within seconds and sunk into the blackness like a rock. Down, down, down I went. I flailed wildly, all rational thought gone. I was going to die. I was going to die. I held my breath for as long as I possibly could before my mouth forced itself open and I took in a deep gulp of water. I had no thoughts at this point, just an instinct to survive. But even that was lost as the blackness began to engulf me. Then suddenly I felt strong arms around me as I was pulled up. When we reached the surface, I gasped and spluttered and choked. I felt someone whack me on the back as I coughed up bucket loads of water. I wheezed as I fought to get air back into my lungs. Finally I spat out the last of the water and took in great, ragged gulps of air. I looked behind me and realized I was sitting on the back of a Floatzel, held tight in the arms of Saturn. He shut his eyes and sighed._

"_You scared me, Riley," He said. "I knew that stupid bridge wasn't sturdy, but does Uranus listen to me? No." He pulled me closer as I began to shiver violently. "You're safe now." he assured me. And at that moment I knew he would protect me no matter what._

_End Of Flashback_

"We'd better go tell the grunts that we'll be gone tonight," Saturn announced. I nodded.

"Can I do it?" I asked excitedly.

"Sure," Saturn smiled, his blue eyes twinkling. I loved his eyes. They were the most beautiful shade of blue, and although I had seen them cold and hostile, I had also seen them warm and laughing. His blue hair was in its usual spikes, not a single strand out of place, as always. I could tell he found my excitement amusing. I linked arms with him and began skipping down the hall, at which point the had no choice but to join in or be dragged along. When we got to the end of the hall and to the lounge where most of the grunts would be, I skidded to a stop. Saturn frowned at me, and I laughed. He blew a strand of his bangs out of his eyes.

"Isn't skipping a little childish?" He scolded.

"Aw, lighten up," I gently punched his shoulder. He frowned harder, but then sighed and let it go.

"All right," He smiled deviously. He lightly pushed me, causing me to stumble back. He laughed and opened the doors, ignoring my indignant look. I followed him inside, and this time I was the one rolling my eyes. I was the childish one? "Listen up, everyone," Saturn said in his commanding voice. Of course everyone turned to look. Saturn had an aura that made him a great leader, and everyone obeyed him. This was a characteristic that often made me proud and jealous at the same time. "We have received word from the boss." Here he gestured to me, prompting me to begin.

"He has asked that Commander Saturn and I retrieve an item and some information," I told them all. "And so we won't be needing help for this particular mission." All the grunts groaned. I snickered; it was fun making them upset. Saturn glared at me and proceeded to speak in a more charismatic way.

"I am sure that there will be a chance for us all to complete a mission as a division," He promised. "And very soon." The grunts nodded, not completely satisfied, but knowing it was not there place to question the boss's motives. "I am leaving Richard in charge until I return." Saturn continued. Richard stood and bowed. He looked almost identical to the other grunts with his light blue hair and his uniform. I was the only one without blue hair, and that had gotten me in trouble many times. I loved my long, russet-streaked hair. There was no way I was going to let them cut or dye it. Absolutely not.

"It will be my honor," Richard answered graciously. I rolled my eyes. Richard was such a kiss-up. Saturn nodded and turned to leave, grabbing my hand and pulling me along. His grip was hard, and I squirmed uncomfortably. Outside the lounge, Saturn turned to face me.

"You know you could try to speak more like a leader," He scolded.

"That's your job," I told him. He raised his eyebrows, eyes flashing dangerously. I reminded myself that he was the leader, not me. "Oh all right," I sighed.

"Good." He released my hand, and I rubbed it gently. I frowned at him.

"Ow," I said. He laughed.

"I didn't hurt you," He rolled his eyes. He strode off in the direction of his office, and I was left standing there, feeling like a child who had just gotten in trouble.


	2. Chapter 2

_A/N: Okay, I don't feel bad that I haven't updated, because like I said I won't update until I get at least one review. So thanks to IceDragonHikari for the review! As long as I get reviews, I will update. I really like this chapter, and I hope you do too!_

**Chapter 2: Stealth Mission**

_Saturn's POV_

As I dressed for the mission, my thoughts lingered on Riley. Her almost childish excitement at our mission made me chuckle to myself as I was reminded of it again. We hadn't had a mission in a long time, and I was almost as excited as she was, though I handled it better. I pulled the sleeves of my sneaksuit over my arms, still visualizing Riley's face, her stormy gray eyes and russet streaked hair. I cursed angrily, disliking my feelings for her. I was the great Commander Saturn, and I wasn't going to let butterflies for some girl screw this mission up. I had loved Riley for a long time now, but I would never tell her that. Commanders didn't show weakness, not even in front of their best friend. I had a feeling, however, that I was the only commander with a best friend. Was I too soft, like Mars was always taunting? When I was dressed, I walked through the door that led into my office and clipped my stealthbelt around my waist. An invention of one of the team Galactic scientists, it held all my pokeballs and stealth equipment, plus it was almost impossible to see against my black suit. Sneaksuits and stealthbelts were standard issue for every Commander. Completely ready, I opened the door to see Riley already waiting for me.

_Riley's POV_

I waited for Saturn outside his office in nervous excitement. I pulled at my long braid in annoyance, we should have been gone already. I resisted the urge to spy in his window or throw open his door. I was not his equal, and that wasn't my place. So I waited for him to come out, absentmindedly stroking Chimchar's orange fur. My thoughts turned to the upcoming mission. It would be all stealth, since we didn't want the citizens of Veilstone to know we were here right now. I was dressed in all black, formfitting clothes, long sleeves and black skinny jeans. I wondered briefly what Saturn was wearing. We planned to get to the man's house under the cover of night, question him, and take the egg. Hopefully it would be easy enough. I couldn't wait to get outside, because it had been a few days since we had been allowed out of the base. Since we'd been here, in fact. Again with the secrecy, no one was allowed to know we were here. Finally the door swung open and out came Saturn, looking stylish in his all black mission suit, which now I remembered every commander had. He smiled crookedly at me, and my heart started beating rapidly. I grinned back, half wondering about the way Saturn made me feel lately. He was my commander and my best friend, and the racing of my heart when he was near was beginning to get annoying. Feelings for Saturn were not something I could afford. I already had enough danger in my life without falling in love with my commander. I took a deep breath and cleared my head of all those thoughts as we began walking.

"Ready?" Saturn asked as he paused before opening the door that would take us outside and begin our mission. I nodded, my face determined. He pulled the handle, and we stepped out for the first time in days. We moved through the town quickly, sticking to the shadows. Not many people were on the streets, but there was still the odd few hanging around. Every time a person turned up, we melted into the shadows as Saturn put a slender finger to his lips and we waited for them to pass. Citizens knowing that Team Galactic was in the area would cause major panic, and we needed surprise on our side. After about ten minutes of sneaking through town, we reached the man's house, dark blue with an orange roof. I snickered silently at the color combination as we slunk around the wall to the back door. Chimchar clung tightly to my shoulder, molded to my form like it belonged there. Saturn tried the door to find it locked; no surprise there. He turned to me and I unceremoniously yanked a bobby pin from my hair before sliding it into the lock and picking it with ease. It was not a nice feeling, however, to feel like a petty criminal. That is not what our organization is all about. We slipped inside and found the man seated on the couch, watching TV with his wife. As he noticed us, he jumped to his feet in an awkward, clumsy movement.

"What are you doing in my house?" He shouted at us angrily. His wife was fearful eyed and shaking behind him, scrunching up on the couch as if to make herself less visible. She was a tiny thing, a skinny twig with a thin face and short hair.

"We aren't here to harm you," Saturn said calmly. "We have received certain information that you are in possession of a rare egg."

"Give it to us and we'll leave," I added, my face hard.

"I won't." He said stubbornly. His wife bit her lip anxiously.

"Team Galactic doesn't take no for an answer," Saturn warned. "Give it to us, or we will take it by force."

"Just give it to them, Dad," Called a voice from in the hallway. I whirled around to see a girl about two years younger than me standing there. Her blonde hair was messy, she appeared to have been sleeping. I wondered how long she had been there. "Team Galactic is dangerous, I've seen them on the news." She stared openly at me, her eyes understanding exactly what we could do. We had burnt down the last house of the people that had crossed us. The words of his daughter seemed to bring the man to his senses.

"Fine," He sighed. "Just leave my family alone."

"Give us the egg," Saturn countered. The man hesitated, but finally handed the egg to Saturn, who nodded. "We'll be leaving now." He said, turning on his heel and striding out. I took one last look at the family before following him out of the house. Team Galactic's measures could be a little harsh, but that was necessary to strike fear in people's hearts and get us what we needed. A Giratina had the ability to travel between dimensions, a power that would help Team Galactic in its quest to create a new, better world. I shivered slightly at the possibilities as we moved through the streets back to our hideout. It was an incredible thought, a powerful feeling. As we returned through the door we had left from, Saturn turned to me. "I need to report to Cyrus about this over videophone," he told me. I sighed and nodded.

"I'll see you tomorrow then," I said wistfully. Saturn rolled his eyes.

"I want you there with me." He smiled, putting a hand on my shoulder. "You helped get the egg, so you can help report to the boss."

"Are you serious?" My eyes widened. He nodded, and my heart swelled with pride. It was a great honor to be allowed to speak with our leader. "Oh, Saturn!" I exclaimed happily, throwing my arms around his neck. He stiffened slightly before relaxing into the hug and chuckling softly. I breathed in contentedly, Saturn was the greatest commander ever. And he smelled sooooo good.

"We should get to my office," Saturn said after a moment. I broke away from him, my cheeks red. Was I really thinking about how Saturn smelled at a time like this? We had work to do! No more distractions, I promised myself. I really hoped Saturn didn't notice the pink tinge to my cheeks as we entered his office, which was mercifully dark. He sat in the chair at his desk, facing a huge TV screen. I stood in my rightful place next to him, remembering that I had been taught as a grunt that is was disrespectful to sit when in the presence of the boss unless you had been appointed as a commander. Saturn reached forward and pressed a button that was raised slightly on a light blue panel. The screen flickered to life and I took a deep breath. Cyrus appeared on the screen and I just stared for a moment before I remembered to bow slightly in respect. I had only been in the boss's presence once before, and as I stared fixedly at the floor, the memory came rushing back.

_Flashback_

_I stand alone in a cold, lifeless room with white walls and floors, dressed in the signature grunt outfit, twisting my long hair anxiously. This is the day I become second-in-command to my best friend, Commander Saturn. I am waiting for Cyrus, because this is a promotion he must approve. Other than this, he doesn't associate with grunts much. The door opens and in he comes, his face expressionless. I stand taller as he studies me, his eyes raking along my body, trying to appraise if I will be right for the job._

"_Your hair," He says after a moment, his eyebrows raised. I know immediately what he is talking about, and I flush red, stuttering to find the words to say that will please him. "You are lucky Saturn has explained to me already," Cyrus chuckles. "Were it not for your battling skills and love of our cause, you would be gone." He stares hard at me, and I gulp._

"_Gone…" I whisper quietly. The idea is to horrible. My life would be nothing without Team Galactic._

"_I know everything about you," Cyrus continues. "And you should be grateful that I like your spunk. On most I find it grounds for punishment, but somehow it suits you."_

"_I don't understand," I say, puzzled._

"_Congratulations on your new position," He smiles, and it takes a moment for the news to sink in. I gasp, my face lighting up, momentarily speechless. A look from Cyrus reminds me of my position, and I bow._

"_Thank you, sir," I say emphatically._

"_If I were you, I would be careful how I acted," He answers in warning tones. "I will be watching you."_

"_Yes sir," I nod._

_End of flashback_

I shook my head to clear it of these thoughts as Cyrus began to speak. "You managed to retrieve the egg?" He asked solemnly.

"Yes, sir," Saturn answers. "The stealth mission was a complete success."


	3. Chapter 3

_A/N: Chapter 3! Thanks to A Half-Empty Glass and Frozen Seagull for their reviews, you guys make this all worth it! I really hope you guys like this chapter, even if it is a bit of a filler. I find fillers are necessary for a story to make sense and this was fun to write so, no complaints from me! Keep reviewing and I will keep the updates coming! Sorry for the weird end of this chapter, blame my sister for making me practically do her essay for her while I finished this!  
_

**Chapter 3: Teaching Mission**

**_Riley's POV_**

"Excellent," Cyrus smirked. "Now I want you to hatch it."

"How are we supposed to do that?" I asked incredulously without thinking. Cyrus gave me a hard look, shooting daggers from his eyes, as Saturn bit his lip. "Sorry, sir," I apologized quickly, realizing my mistake. It was just angering that even after we had collected the egg, we got no thanks. We were expected to do more. Hatching an egg was too much of a menial task for our leader. It was patronizing.

"Watch how you speak to me, girl," Cyrus replied in warning tones. He turned back to Saturn. "Just find a way. When the egg hatches, contact me."

"Yea, Cyrus, sir," Saturn answered, his face unreadable. And then without warning the screen went black; Cyrus had terminated the call. Saturn turned to me and gave me a withering look. I grinned at him, trying to lower the tension, but he just shook his head sadly. "Go get some sleep," He ordered. My grin faded and I gave a short nod before walking out of the office. I knew I had disappointed him, and I felt really bad. Why couldn't I just keep my big mouth shut? I looked back once before I shut the door. Saturn was still seated at his desk, studying the egg. It was coal black, splattered with red and gold swirls. It sure looked like it could belong to a Giratina. I sighed and left, walking slowly through the halls back to my room.

"Char?" Chimchar asked from my shoulder. I sighed and pulled my pokemon into my arms, holding it close.

"I'm sure everything will be fine," I assured it. When I reached my room Chimchar hopped onto the floor and clambered onto my bed, curling up on top of my pillow. I laughed and went to take a shower. The hot water ran through my long hair and down my back, and it helped to clear my mind a bit. I just needed to try harder not to let things get to me, and to follow orders to the exact. That just wasn't something I was good at. I realized with a groan that I had left my pokeballs on their belt in Saturn's office. I knew he would take care of them, but I didn't need him to see me as irresponsible on top of everything else. I sighed, knowing it was too late to change that now. Besides, I was sure Saturn would understand. We were best friends after all.

**_Saturn's POV_**

I sat at my desk for a long time, running my fingers over the smooth shell of the egg, thinking about Riley. Something had to be done. She just didn't seem to have any sense of authority! I blamed myself, I had always let her get away with so much. But she was my best friend, and she had been by my side through everything. We had been friends for eight years now. I wasn't sure how she was able to escape punishment by Cyrus for her outbursts and lack of respect for the rules of the team, but I seriously hoped that it would continue. I didn't want her to get hurt. While she may have seemed tough and fearless on the outside, I knew that she was still just a teenage girl. It was my job as her best friend to protect her, so I vowed that tomorrow I would teach her a lesson or two.

I woke in the morning to my alarm buzzing. I groaned and reached over to turn it off before climbing out of bed and pulling on my clothes. In my office I spotted Riley's pokebelt laying on the desk and a chuckle erupted from me. Why was I not surprised that she had left it behind? I figured that after talking to the boss and my obvious disappointment, she had had other things on her mind. Still, that didn't mean I couldn't have some fun with her about it. After all, aren't best friends supposed to tease each other? I glanced at the egg on my desk and sighed. I really had no idea how to hatch it. I hoped that possibly one of the grunts had a bit of knowledge. Riley was waiting outside my door when I left the office, and I was momentarily dazed by her appearance. She was dressed in a short black skirt, fish nets, and a purple tank top. I drank in her curves, her face, her hair, her essence, until I realized I was staring. To cover up the fact that I had been checking out my best friend, I pulled a stern face. "Why aren't you in uniform?" I scolded.

"Should I be?" She frowned, taking in my own well polished uniform. "We don't have a mission today, do we?"

"We have training," I replied. "So go get changed into your uniform."

"But-" She began.

"Go," I cut her off. "If you want your pokebelt back, you have to earn it." I told her, smirking.

"Saturn!" She exclaimed, her eyes wide. "That is just mean." She pouted. Her Chimchar snarled angrily at me.

"It's my call," I said. "Or have you forgotten who the commander is?" I raised my eyebrows and waited for an answer, but she just stared at me, glaring. Curse her stubbornness. "Go get your uniform on." I ordered firmly.

"Fine." She rolled her eyes. I gave her a look and she sighed. "I mean, yes, sir." She corrected herself. And then off she went to change, and as I watched her go I was glad that after she changed I wouldn't have as much distraction to deal with.

In the mess hall the grunts were already eating, chatting amongst themselves, and obediently in uniform as was required unless otherwise stated. I coughed loudly and the room got silent in a matter of seconds. I loved the ability I had to walk into a noisy room and evoke silence. "Today we are going to do a bit of training. Half of you will be competing in a battle tournament, while the other half will be completing obstacle courses. Then the groups will switch." I explained. The grunts seemed to have mixed emotions about this statement. Of course these courses weren't like those in games shows or those constructed by little kids, these were real, and dangerous. Just as I was about to continue, the door flew open and in rushed Riley, Chimchar as always ever present on her shoulder. Riley really was attached to that thing. She grinned at me and winked at all the grunts.

"I'm here!" She announced, flipping her hair in a way that insinuated she was self absorbed. Of course she wasn't really, and I knew the show was for my benefit. I rolled my eyes, it was just like her to parade the fact to me that since she was my second in command she was above the grunts and therefore allowed to be late.

"Chimchar!" Her fire monkey pokemon cried out, practically mimicking Riley's full-of-herself grin.

"Late, as usual," One of the grunts whispered loudly to her peers.

"Oh, shove off, Kathy," Riley said angrily, façade gone. "In case you haven't noticed, I'm two ranks above you. So if I were you I would be careful." She came to stand beside me and I raised an eyebrow at her. "You're the one that made me go change," She told me. "So technically it isn't my fault that I'm late."

"Enough," I frowned playfully at her. "We have work to do." I proceeded to explain the day's plans to her before splitting my division into two groups, the differently ranked grunts evenly dispersed. Riley would lead one group, while I would lead the other. Of course the scientists and technicians would be running the training course, so Riley would still have to participate. "If you do well," I whispered in her ear before we parted ways. "Then you can have your pokemon back." Just a little extra incentive to get her to perform at her best. Now I was the one grinning as she stalked off to the training area, leaving her disgruntled group to follow her. I hoped that she wouldn't take out her frustration on them. I led my group of grunts to the field on the second floor of the hideout. It was the only thing not located an the ground floor of our Veilstone City base. "The grunt who wins this tournament is excused from guard duty for the next month," I announced. We always had two grunts guarding the hideout so that no one came upon it while we slept. A cheer erupted from the grunts, and I knew they would perform well today. I called off the pair that was to battle first; Nicole and Taylor. Then I walked over to where Richard stood.

"Sir," He bowed.

"What can you tell me about eggs?" I questioned.

"Umm, you can eat them?" Richard answered hesitantly. I mentally face-palmed.

"Pokemon eggs, you imbecile!" I shouted angrily at him.

"Oh," He said sheepishly. "Right."

"How do you hatch them?" I asked with a tired sigh. Sometimes these grunts could be so immersed in idiocy that it took all my efforts to get them to come up for a breath.

"I'm not sure, sir," He bit his lip, knowing this answer would not make me happy.

"You are no help at all, Richard!" I said exasperatedly.

"You could ask a breeder, commander, if it is that important to you." He replied, trying to redeem himself but failing.

"It is!" I exclaimed, then turned around and walked away in what Riley probably would have called a strut. Nicole and Taylor had just finished battling, and by her grin I could tell that she had won. Taylor looked glum. "Off the field," I called to them, but they were too busy arguing to hear me. Well actually Nicole was singing.

"Anything you can do, I can do better," She sang, twirling around in circles.

"I-" Taylor began, but Nicole paid him no attention as she jabbed her fingers in his face.

"Anything you can do I can do too," She continued her song.

"But-" Taylor tried again, but again she cut him off.

"You just got poned, sucka!" She jabbered on, her face directly in front of his.

"OFF THE FIELD!" I yelled louder, and they whirled around to look at me before bowing sheepishly and trudging ashamedly off the field.


	4. Chapter 4

_A/N: Okay, so sorry for the delay in this chapter! I had finals and other stuffs to do, but I sat down to write this and it all just flowed! Thanks to my one reviewer, MoonlitNite! This is for you! Oh and I apologize for Saturn, but remember he is a guy. Haha but it's all clean so don't be worried! Anyway, I'm rambling. I hope you enjoy this chapter as much as I did!_

**Chapter 4: Healing Mission**

_Riley's POV_

When I reached the training area I let out a breath and turned to make sure the grunts had followed me. They had. I pressed a button on my watch and spoke into it. "Let us in."

"Right away, Riley," Melissa's voice floated out of the tiny speaker. She was a technician for our team, and a very good one at that. The huge door to the training room opened to reveal a huge room that appeared to be empty. But I knew better.

"Give us a level ten," I said, speaking into my watch again. All the grunts groaned. Level ten was the hardest course, and many of them wouldn't make it through. I wasn't in the mood to mess around though, so I didn't really care. Obstacles began rising up across the field, from giant rock walls with deadly retracting spikes and geysers that shot fire to deep pits and a swirling river. I decided to make this fun. "I'll go first," I told the grunts. "And if you can beat my time then I will take over your guard duty for two months." With such high stakes, I couldn't afford to lose. But it wasn't like any of them could beat me anyway. "Rules," I began. "You can each take one pokemon with you, and if you get injured keep going anyway. Now let's do this." I gestured for a grunt named James to start his stopwatch, and when he did I took off running. I easily climbed over a large boulder that blocked my path and dodged a stream of fire coming out of the ground. Chimchar was on its hands and feet next to me, keeping up with no problem. I scaled a rock wall, narrowly avoiding getting impaled by a metal spike, and then clambered down the other side and dropped to the floor. Without warning, rocks the size of my fist came shooting towards me. "Chimchar, flamethrower!" I shouted.

"Char!" It let a burst of fire out of its mouth and spun in a circle as I dropped to the ground to avoid getting singed. The rocks were not as lucky, falling in disintegrated pieces into a pile on the floor. I kept running, maneuvering around still more boulders. I leaped over a pit, not bothering to look through the dark hole, and made my way into a vast maze of dark, thorny hedges. I weaved through turn after turn, Chimchar scouting the way ahead of me. Suddenly a great wall of fire burst out of the floor in front of me, and I turned to move down a different path, but not before the fire spread and flames danced across my shoulder. I winced in pain and grunted as I patted the flames out and kept running. No big deal. Chimchar ran to me through the wall of fire and hopped onto my back, its arms around my neck, nimble fingers laced together. I took another turn and made it out of the maze, then pushed myself into an even faster sprint until I slapped a hand on the door at the opposite side of the room.

"Time!" I called. I knew the grunts could hear me because of the speaker system that connected the two sides of the huge room. I bent over to catch my breath, my hands resting on my thighs. Chimchar clung tightly to me so it wouldn't fall.

"A minute and 52 seconds," James replied, his voice wafting from the speaker above. A few grunts whistled appreciatively. I grinned widely.

"Beat that," I said to myself, then went through the door and sprinted back to where the grunts stood, still staring at the screen where they had watched the whole thing. I took the stopwatch from James "Your turn," I grinned wickedly.

"Right," He gulped.

_Saturn's POV_

The battles were going slowly, so I left Richard in charge so I could go talk to Riley about finding a breeder to question. I hurried down the stairs to the first floor, not really wanting to waste time using the elevator. I walked swiftly to the training arena, and saw Riley watching the screen with the rest of the grunts as Kathy struggled to make it through the course. Riley was snickering, and I rolled my eyes. I called her name and she turned towards me. My eyes widened as I saw her shoulder, black and burned. Her injury was most likely from the course. "You're hurt," I said reproachfully as she neared me. "Let me see." I placed my hands around the wound and pulled her closer so I could see better. She hissed in pain and I sighed. "You should get this checked out." I told her. She was going to need a new uniform, the cloth around her injury was almost completely gone.

"I'm fine," She answered stubbornly, pulling away from my grasp. Chimchar, on the floor near her feet, looked anxious.

"Don't lie to me, Riley," I warned her. "I know a serious burn when I see one." I wrapped my fingers around her upper arm, the uninjured one of course, and dragged her away. I called over my shoulder to James and told him to keep an eye on things, and he nodded an affirmative. I told Chimchar to stay and help, because I knew having it around would be a hassle as we tried to get Riley fixed up. Riley glared at me angrily at this, she wasn't used to being separated from her partner. I pulled Riley to our little doctor's office and ushered her inside, following close behind. She didn't look happy, to say the least. She wouldn't look at me, but glared purposefully in the other direction. Neither of our two doctors were here, so I sat Riley on a chair and squatted so our eyes were level. "Stop acting like a child, Riley."

"Then stop treating me like one," She countered, giving me a hard look. "I'm seventeen, I can take care of myself," She added, throwing in another glare for good measure. I sighed and busied myself gathering the materials I needed to clean and bandage Riley's arm. I was thankful for the medical training I had forced myself to undergo in case of an emergency. I turned back to my friend and began to carefully clean her burn. Thankfully it wasn't serious enough to do any real damage, but it still needed to be taken care of. Riley clenched her teeth through the pain. Unlike a normal girl, there were no screams or tears. That was my Riley, always tough. I ripped the sleeve of her uniform entirely off and her eyes narrowed, the pain obvious. "Careful!" She said angrily. I smiled at her, hoping to relieve some of the tension. She relaxed slightly and shut her eyes. I looked to her ruined shirt and could feel blood creeping to my cheeks. A lot of material had come off when I ripped the shirt, and I could see more than I probably should have. I silently chastised myself for any remotely inappropriate thoughts. This was my best friend. She was injured, and she trusted me. I gently rubbed salve on the burn and bandaged her shoulder, and her eyes remained mercifully closed as I struggled to reign in my thoughts. Why was this suddenly so hard for me? I tried to hurry as fast as possible without hurting her, and made sure to touch her bare skin as little as possible. And then as my fingers brushed her bare collarbone, I swore a delicate smile graced her features, but I must have just been imagining things. Dang doctors for not being here! I finally finished and drew away to look in the drawers for an extra shirt. I finally found one in the fifth drawer I looked in, and even a uniform shirt at that. It was a size to big, but I pushed Riley into the adjoining bathroom to change into it anyway. She complied, and she seemed less mad when she returned. I gave her a smile which she returned after a moments hesitation.

"Better?" I asked. She nodded.

"Thanks, Saturn," She sighed, and I could tell she didn't like admitting she was thankful for my help. I chuckled.

"You are too dang independent for your own good, Riley," I poked her in the stomach and she shrieked. Riley's weakness: She is ticklish! I continued my tickle attack, being careful of her shoulder, until she was begging me to stop between fits of laughter. If anyone saw us now, we'd be in deep water then. I was serious around everyone else, but my best friend often brought out my humorous side sometimes. As she fought to regain her breath, I remembered that I had sought her with a purpose. "We need to find a breeder," I announced. She looked at me strangely for the abrupt change in topic, but I waved her look away with my hand. "A breeder will know how to hatch an egg," I explained. She nodded, understanding now. "So we need to find out if there is a breeder in this town, and if not we are moving on until we find one." I added.

"Sounds like a plan," She replied. "But for now we should get back to our groups of grunts, because we both know they don't function well without us." She laughed merrily, and I found myself pulling her into a hug.

"See you later then," I whispered in her ear, and shivers ran down her body. I chuckled and pulled away. Without another word, I turned and went back to my grunts.


End file.
